Transfer



(No Model.)

B. J. PRANGK. TRANSFER APPLIANCE FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

Patented June 27, 1893. F/G.

W/TNEE'SEE.

//vv NTOR, 1/1 5y wg UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

EMIL J. FRANOK, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONALAUTOMATIC KNITTER COMPANY, OF SAMEPLAGE, AND NOR- RISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

TRANSFER APPLIANCE FOR KNITTING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 500,122, dated June 27,1893. Application filed August 18, 1892. derial No. 443,429. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern.-

-]3e it known that I, EMIL JOHN FRANCK, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Phila- 5 delphiaand State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Transfer Appliances for Knitting Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The principal objects of my invention are, first, to provide a simple,efficient and comparatively inexpensive and portable device or frameonto which the respective stitches comprising a course of stitches of aknitted r 5 top or other web may be rapidly and manually transferredwhile a knitting machine is fabricating an article, so that the deviceor frame may be applied to the knitting machine upon the completion ofthe article and in such manner that said course of stitches may bereadily transferred to the needles thereof to permit of the fabricatingof another article without undue delay or loss of time; second, toprovide simple and inexpensive 2 5 means for preventing accidentalinjury to the needles when the transfer device or frame is applied to aknitting machine; third, to construct and arrange the reeds of thetransfer device for operation in respect to the needles c in such mannerthat the latches thereof are held in open position for the reception ofthe stitches; fourth, to construct and combine the various parts of thetransfer device in such manner that the same may be inexpensively madeand readily assembled and separated in order to permit of repairs or forother purposes; fifth, to arrange and adapt the transfer appliance orframe for operation in such manner that any needles which may 0 fail toproperly engage or register withtheir corresponding reeds when theappliance or frame is applied to the knitting machine, may

be brought into engagement therewith by the manual rotation of thecamcylinder and without unthreading or otherwise interfering with thethread; and sixth, to construct the grooved reeds of the transfer frameor appliance in such manner that they are provided with lateral openingsthrough which the needles may pass into engagement with the reeds when arotary motion is imparted to the frame or appliance.

My invention consists of a transfer appliance comprising a portable ringor annulus having a smooth face adapted to slide upon supporting postsand provided with grooved reeds adapted to fit over and open the latchesof the needles of a knitting machine.

My invention further consists of a transfer appliance for'knittingmachines, comprising an inner ring provided with a notched periphery, anexterior segmental ring, reeds clamped between said rings, a packing forthe reeds, and means for uniting the segments of the exterior ring.

My invention further consists of a transfer appliance provided with aseries of reeds having lateral openings for engaging the needles when arotary motion is imparted to the appliance.

My invention further consists of a knitting machine provided withneedles andacam cylinder having upwardly projecting posts, and aportable ring or annulus provided with grooved'reeds for the receptionof the needles and adapted to ride on said posts, the construction beingsuch that the posts may slip in respect to the annulus or ring to permitof the rotation of the cam-cylinder for bringing stray needles intoengagement with their corresponding grooved reeds.

My invention further consists of the improvements hereinafter describedand claimed.

The nature, scope and characteristic features of my invention will bemore fully understood from the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings forming part hereof; and in Which Figure1, is a side elevation showing a portable ring or annulus provided withprojecting reeds and resting in upright position upon a support orbracket adapted for its reception,

and also showing a top or other knitted web in application to the reeds.Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 are views showing the manner in which the ring orannulus is inverted and applied to the kitting machine in order toeffect the transfer of the top or other knitted web to the needlesthereof; and Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively a sectional plan and anelevation,

showing a modified form of reed embodying features of my invention andprovided with a lateral groove, and also illustrating the application ofthe same to a needle.

In the drawings a, is a ringprovided with a notched periphery.

b, are a series of grooved reeds fitted into the respective notches inthe periphery of the ring a, and having their extremities beveled oiftoward the center of the ring a, as shown at b, in Fig. 2. These reedsb, may be provided with grooves 11 out or otherwise formed upon thefaces thereof that lie nearest to the center of the ring a, as is shownin Figs. 2 to 5 inclusive. However, the reeds may be grooved in suchmanner that two walls I) and b, are formed as shown in Figs. 6and 7. Oneof these walls I), is substantially coincident with a radius of the ringa, and the other of these walls I), is disposed substantially at rightangles to the first, so that an opening 11 is formed in one of the sidesof the reed for purposes to be presently described.

c, is a segmental ring encircling and clampingthe reeds b, and in thepresent instance composed of three parts united by set-screws c, locatedin recesses 0 the greater portion of two of these segments beingshown inFig. 1.

d, is a packing of soft fibrous paper or other analogous materialinterposed between the ring 0, and the shanks of the reeds b, in orderto protect the latter from accidental injury when the segments of thering 0, are drawn together by the set-screws c.

e, Fig. 1, is a bracket orsupport secured to the wall or to any otherconvenient article and provided with a flange forming a seat adapted tohold the transfer frame f, in upright position.

g, are posts or pins projecting upward from the cam-cylinder g, of theknitting machine.

72., are needles.

t, is a portion of the needle cylinder, and t", is a thread carrierprovided with a hinge as at 1?, and carried by the revoluble member ofthe machine, for example, by the cam cylinder g. The other portions ofthe knitting machine are not shown but may be of any preferred type.

In use the transfer frame or appliance f is placed in upright positionupon the support or bracket 6, as shown in Fig. 1, and the respectivestitches comprising the loose course of stitches of the top or other webj, are placed or threaded manually upon the reeds b, Whereupon theportion of the web or topj, above the loose course of stitches is pulledout, and the top or web itself is drawn down through the ring a, asshown in said figure. The frame or transfer appliance is then liftedfrom the support or bracket e, and inverted, as shown in Fig. 2, carebeing exercised to prevent the top or other web j, from falling throughthe ring a. The thread carrier 71, is turnedinto 1 the position shown inFig. 4, and the ring 0,

of the transfer appliance is placed in position upon the posts or pins9, as shown in Fig. 3, whereupon all the needles h, are elevated by handor by any device with which the camcylinder may be provided for thispurpose. The posts f, serve, to prevent the ring a, from contacting withand injuring the hooks of the needles; and for this purpose the ring 0,may be made slightly thicker than the ring a, as shown, so that an offset 0 is formed for the accommodation of the hooks of the needles.should fit over the outside portion of a corresponding needle h, and ifthe needles h, are provided with latches h, as shown the reeds alsoserve to insure the opening of all the latches as will be evident froman exami nation of' Figs. 3 and 4. However, in prac- In this positioneach of the reeds b, i

needlesfail to register with the grooves of the corresponding reeds. In.such case the needles could be raised and lowered by hand or by thedevices referred to above, if present, the operation being facilitatedby rotating the cam-cylinder, which is permitted by the slipping of theposts 9, beneath the ring a.

so that all the needles (or as manyras neces:

sary) are first depressed and then lifted,by the ordinary operation ofthe cam cylinder or otherwise, and the needles as they are lifted takeinto the grooves of the corresponding reeds, because the transferappliance being 'held against rotary movement by certain of the needlesis nevertheless afforded sufiicient play to permit of the accomplishmentof this result. It may be remarked that during the manual rotation ofthe cam cylinder g, the thread carrier 1;, occupies a position clear ofthe working parts as shown in Fig. 4, so that the thread need not bewithdrawn from the thread eye thereof.

When reeds having lateral openings 12 as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, areemployed, the insertion of the needles into the reeds is greatlyfacilitated, because the transfer frame or appliance may be supportedabove the machine with the needles in range of the reeds and thenslightly rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 6, withthe result that the needles enter the openings b and are thus rapidlybrought into proper engagement with the reeds. The web or top j, is thendrawn down through the ring a, and through i the needle cylinder byhand, with the result that all the. stitches are simultaneously andrapidly transferred from the feeds 1), to the needles h, as is shown inFig. 4. The frame or transfer appliance is then lifted 0% the machine asshown in Fig. 5, and the stitches of the top or web j, remain in.position to be caught by the hooks of the needles h, in such mannerthat an additional web is knit onto the top or web j, by the subsequentoperation of the machine. It may be remarked that the operative incharge may run a top or other web 3', onto the reeds of the frame ortransfer appliance while the machine is fabricating one article, so thatas soon as the article is finished the top or web j, may be transferredto the machine, to permit of the fabrication of a second article, thuspermitting the out put of the machine to materially increase withoutnecessitating any increase in the cost of labor. Moreover, the sametransfer appliance or frame may be employed in connection with severalknitting machines.

Although I have explained my invention in application to a so-calledcircular knitting machine, still it may be applied to so called straightknitting machines by others skilled in the art by attaching the reeds b,to one or more straight bars in substantially the manner hereinaboveexplained and without the exercise of invention, hence I do not limitmyself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts hereinaboveset forth, but

Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention, What .Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A transfer appliance for knitting machines, comprising an inner ringprovided with a notched periphery, an exterior segmental ring, reedsfitted into said notched periphery, a packing interposed between thereeds and exterior ring, and means for uniting the segments of theexterior ring, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. A transfer appliance comprising a portable ring or annulus having asmooth face adapted to slide upon supporting posts and provided withgrooved reeds adapted to fit over and open the latches of the needles ofa knitting machine, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. A transfer appliance provided with a series of reeds having lateralopenings for engaging the needles when a rotary motion is imparted tothe appliance, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In combination, posts or pins, a portable ring or annulus providedwith projecting reeds for the reception of the needles and adapted toslide over the tops of said posts, substantially as and for the purposesset forth.

5. A transfer appliance for knitting machines comprising an inner ringprovided with a notched periphery, an exterior segmental ring, reedsclamped between said rings, and set-screws for uniting the segments ofthe exterior ring, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In combination, a knitting machine provided with needles and withupwardly projecting pins or posts, and a portable ring or annulusprovided with projecting reeds and with an off-set for the reception ofthe needles, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. The combination, of a cam-cylinder, upwardly projecting posts or pinscarried by the cam cylinder, and a port-able ring or annulus providedwith grooved reeds for the reception of the needles and adapted to rideon said posts, the construction being such that the posts may slip inrespect to the annulus or ring to permit of the rotation of the camcylinder, for bringing stray needles into engagement with theircorresponding reeds, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. The combination, of needles, a hinged thread carrier, a cam-cylinder,upwardly projecting posts or pins carried by the cam cylinder, and aportable ring or annulus provided with grooved reeds for the receptionof the needles and adapted to slip on the posts or pins, substantiallyas and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set mysignature in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

- EMIL J. FRANOK. Witnesses:

THOMAS M. SMITH, RICHARD C. MAXWELL.

